Posted by Another Gatetree Resident
a resident of Amador Valley High School
on Feb 28, 2009 at 10:50 am

Gretchen -- Pleasanton is so much more than "schools" when it comes to home values. That point is proven by what we are seeing in the market today. I don't know about you, but I've seen my property value dive over the last two years and nothing in regards to schools has changed.

Posted by enough already
a resident of Birdland
on Feb 28, 2009 at 11:10 am

Paying more will not keep our schools "great". The money just goes to step and column raises and Dr. Casey's expensed lunches, gas and car payments, mortgage interests, and other perks. Not a dime more for pay raise and perks, not in this environment.

Posted by Another Gatetree Resident
a resident of Amador Valley High School
on Feb 28, 2009 at 11:37 am

Posted by Gretchen, a member of the Valley View Elementary School community
In this economy we should do what we can to preserve value, maintaining the schools is a good way.

Response: Much of the "maintaining" can be done through targeted cuts and better prioritization of funds gained through community fund raising efforts. Ask your kids if they'd rather have teachers or a new sound system on the sports field. Or a new marquee. If they are half as bright as the parents/posters here make their kids out to be, I bet they'd prefer teachers.

Posted by Frank(ly), a resident of the Del Prado neighborhood
Hmmm, like saying, "ask your childrens' teachers if they want their hand deeper in my wallet". LOL

Posted by Cindy
a resident of Heritage Oaks
on Feb 28, 2009 at 11:38 am

I've read it on other threads so I'll mention it here, before it comes up:

"Isn't it worth a dollar a day? Surely you can do without that cup of over-priced coffee".

Problem is, EVERYONE uses this line, from insurance salepeople, to politicians, to teachers. Remember, a dollar here, a dollar there, why, pretty darn soon, your talking some real money. Take a look at your current property tax bill to see all the extra taxes. Watch out for all the new federal, state, county and local taxes and fees (another word for taxes). Hang on to your wallets!

Posted by Mom2
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Feb 28, 2009 at 12:16 pm

At least, the money I give to a parcel tax goes to benefit my community and its schools.

Whereas the money that goes to Sacramento goes where the state decides. Those of you who believe the parcel tax will go to teacher's and other employees salaries, well, of course. Employees are the programs. There is very little money allocated for supplies and staff development. The staff development was cut due to last year's cuts. All school site budgets are tight or frozen.

Some background information:
The 3 staff development days were placed in the calendar year because of Sacramento wanting to ensure staff development was in place. Sacramento also lengthened the calendar school year to its current level. Sacramento has always "forced" districts to add programs, yet never funded them correctly forcing districts to dip into their general funds to make up the difference. The most underfunded program is special education which is required by federal law, yet not funded fully. Class size reduction isn't fully funded by the state even though the state raised standards for our K-3 students assuming that all districts would implement smaller class size. My goodness, kindergardeners are expected to read by the end of the year or they are labeled as "at risk". Most of us, painted on easels, sang, played with blocks, took naps, and learned to get along with others. These ridiculous and unfair funding practices are not individual school districts' faults, yet the state politicians continue to abuse our trust and our money. Please write your legislatures! The "earmarks" in the current budget are a sham!

About eight teachers per elementary site will be cut without class size reduction, 1/2 reading specialist position, 1/2 librarian, 1/2 technology specialist, bands and string teacher, vice principal, custodians, and possibly the P.E., Music, and science specialists. Passing a parcel tax will pay to keep those teachers and programs in place.

If you haven't read the parcel language, no parcel tax can go to increase salaries. Administrators have already taken a roll back for this and next year. Teachers will not receive a COLA raise, most likely for many years. Many Pleasanton teachers are experienced and thus already on the "topped out" levels of the salary schedule. Once a teacher in Pleasanton has 20 years of teaching experience, there are no more step and column raises, only COLA. So, there are no raises, even step and column, for many PUSD teachers. This district has always tried to move younger teachers up the salary schedule quickly to encourage those teachers to stay in teaching and to live in the tri-valley area. Some of you seem to have the mentality of "don't like it leave, many people in line for your job." Well, that is not the case in California. We are facing a huge teacher shortage, particularly over the next 5 years when many of our senior teachers will retire. When they do retire, there will be a major savings to all districts; however, there are enough young people entering the teaching field to fill those spots.

Now is not the time to discourage those young, bright college students to reject education as a possible career. Improvements in salaries and working conditions over the past decade has made teaching more desirable again. I fear that the state of California driven many college students away from the teaching profession. Even if you don't have children, the quality of the people who educate our youth directly or indirectly affects all of us.

Someone please explain to me what the problem is with step & column salary increases. My understanding is that steps are for years of service and columns are for additional teacher education. I can sort of understand people's complaint about step increases, but at the same time I'd think we'd generally want to keep experienced teachers around, both for their own students and to mentor younger ones. If we're competing for high quality teachers and other districts award steps, then we really need to do the same. As for columns, again, don't we want teachers doing continuing education and improving their work in the classroom?

Posted by Michelle Flanagin
a resident of Parkside
on Feb 28, 2009 at 3:30 pm

Just think... for about 200-300 dollars a YEAR you can save over 200 jobs. Jobs of those people trying to create our future... Our Children. Also, those people who keep there jobs will be eating at our Pleasanton restaurants, buying at our Pleasanton stores, creating business in our downed economy. You... yes YOU can help save Pleasanton... NOT just the schools. Be proud of yourself and your city, create/keep jobs better than the government can!!! If anyone can do it Pleasanton can.

Posted by Disagree w/B
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Feb 28, 2009 at 7:04 pm

Michelle, Taking the money out of my pocket so someone else can spend it on dinner creates nothing--it just moved who spent it. By the way a parcel tax IS giving money to a local government entity. Great example (apologies to those who support the stimulus-this was just too good to let pass):

Shortly after class, an economics student approaches his economics professor and says, "I don't understand this stimulus bill. Can you explain it to me?"

The professor replied, "I don't have any time to explain it at my office, but if you come over to my house on Saturday and help me with my weekend project, I'll be glad to explain it to you." The student agreed.

At the agreed-upon time, the student showed up at the professor's house. The professor stated that the weekend project involved his backyard pool.

They both went out back to the pool, and the professor handed the student a bucket. Demonstrating with his own bucket, the professor said, "First, go over to the deep end, and fill your bucket with as much water as you can." The student did as he was instructed.

The professor then continued, "Follow me over to the shallow end, and then dump all the water from your bucket into it." The student was naturally confused, but did as he was told.

The professor then explained they were going to do this many more times, and began walking back to the deep end of the pool.

The confused student asked, "Excuse me, but why are we doing this?"

The professor matter-of-factly stated that he was trying to make the shallow end much deeper.

The student didn't think the economics professor was serious, but figured that he would find out the real story soon enough.

However, after the 6th trip between the shallow end and the deep end, the student began to become worried that his economics professor had gone mad. The student finally replied, "All we're doing is wasting valuable time and effort on unproductive pursuits. Even worse, when this process is all over, everything will be at the same level it was before, so all you'll really have accomplished is the destruction of what could have been truly productive action!"

The professor put down his bucket and replied with a smile, "Congratulations. You now understand the stimulus bill."

Posted by Parents for the Parcel
a resident of Pleasanton Valley
on Feb 28, 2009 at 8:25 pm

Mom2- well said! I find it ironic that when the facts are clearly stated there is no comment from those who continue to post propaganda against the parcel tax. You end up getting a comparison to the stimulus bill. Way to bypass the real facts.

Posted by Vicki
a resident of Pleasanton Heights
on Feb 28, 2009 at 8:39 pm

I have lived in Pleasanton since 1986. I have watched the API scores rise since class size reduction was instituted in the district. I have also watched the value of my home rise because of the excellent school district.
The situation we are in NOW is not the fault of the district. Just today, someone moved into my neighborhood from Fremont...BECAUSE OF THE SCHOOLS.
Although my own child is about to graduate from Foothill, I want my home value to be maintained and absolutely SUPPORT the Parcel Tax!!

I agree with Vicki! I could have sent my kids to a private school for $8,000.00 a year, but instead decided on Pleasanton Unified Schools. I will gladly pay a parcel tax to maintain the excellent schools we have here.

Posted by Stacey
a resident of Amberwood/Wood Meadows
on Feb 28, 2009 at 8:55 pm

Vicki wrote: "I have watched the API scores rise since class size reduction was instituted in the district."

The California API was started in 1999. California's K-3 CSR funding program started in 1996. Does anyone know which year PUSD started participating in the K-3 CSR program? It would be worth looking at the difference in API scores from the first of PUSD's K-3 CSR children with those of children in the previous year.

I'm somewhat curious about this because California historical education data seems to be unavailable online. I had been trying to find standardized test results from earlier than the late 1990s.

Posted by Gretchen
a resident of Valley View Elementary School
on Feb 28, 2009 at 9:07 pm

I was regretting having starting this thread, dismayed at the flip comments about the school situation and taxes, realizing why CA is last in the nation in per student spending.

The stimulus bill has nothing to do with it.

If you haven't read the actual parcel tax verbiage you shouldn't comment just because you don't want to pay any more taxes. Look at how little of your property tax bill goes directly to schools. This tax will support Pleasanton only.

Posted by enough already
a resident of Birdland
on Feb 28, 2009 at 9:42 pm

I've been following the parcel tax discussions and the board meetings in the past month and have concluded that I will not support a parcel tax unless I see some serious concessions from the administrators and the union.

We only need 1/3 + 1 vote to defeat the parcel tax. It won't be difficult.

We demand better financial planning and management and responsible spending from the district.

Posted by Baaah Humbug
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Feb 28, 2009 at 11:07 pm

Folks, it's a fact that CA ranks at the bottom of the barrel in per-pupil spending, yet we CRUSH the national averages on AP scores and have had our schools rank as some of the best in the NATION by everything from Blue Ribbon Awards to Newsweek articles to Competition Civics (BTW, did you know the teacher who just lead the team to the Nationals is at the bottom of the totem pole in seniority in his department? Bummer for that program!) to Band. I know that parent involvement and level of education, a healthy diet and medical care, etc all contribute to students doing well. It's not the schools and teachers alone. But from a reasonable point of view, shouldn't the district have SOME credibility here? If they need $200/year for the next 3-5 years to keep the level of excellence they've maintained, then I'm going to give it to them. I think that many, many government agencies are run poorly and inefficiently, but PUSD is not one of them. Give the district, the teachers, and most importantly THE KIDS your support.

Posted by LIZ
a resident of Amador Valley High School
on Mar 1, 2009 at 7:42 am

Taxpayers will have a hard time justifying yet another new tax that will go to pay PUSD's, high payed administrators and well paid teachers, continued salary increases (call it what you like S&C are raises).

Without a true and absolute salary freeze MANDATED in any parcel tax language FOR THE LENGTH OF THE TAX it will become a game of hide the pea. Money will be moved around, paid by the parcel tax in one pot and freed up in another for raises. It is not that teachers are not valued but this economy can not support raises for anyone. We must preserve jobs over raises.

We love our kids we care about our community and we support our teachers but everyone must make concessions.

As the parcel tax stands now it will fail and a lot of money and community resources will have been waisted!!!

Posted by Another Gatetree Resident
a resident of Amador Valley High School
on Mar 1, 2009 at 8:09 am

Again I will state that our property values in Pleasanton are so much more than "schools." That point is proven by what we are seeing in the market today. I don't know about you, but I've seen my property value dive over the last two years and nothing in regards to schools has changed during that timeframe.

Be truthful. It's a factor, but not worth the cost of the Parcel Tax.

Finally I will again remind people that there is an active group of "boosters" that can help fund some of what you are looking to the parcel tax to fund. I challeng you all to ask your kids if they'd rather have teachers or a new sound system on the sports field. Or teachers or a new marquee. If they are half as bright as you parents/posters here make the kids out to be, I bet they'd prefer teachers.

No we don't. We will vote down the parcel tax and keep forcing the public to examine the union's role in preventing a more effectively operating school district.

What are the APT and CSEA unions doing to help the situation PUSD finds itself in?

As I see it, PUSD is resorting to laying off employees and raising taxes. How is the union contributing to the goal of 'shared sacrifice'? They continue to charge union dues of $1000 from each teacher. They keep an outdated seniority system that is laying off good teachers at the expense of keeping other lesser performing teachers around. They prevent effective teacher performance practices from being implemented. And more.

For anyone who understands union strategy and tactics, Trevor Knaggs was a brilliant embarrasment at the recent school board meeting; laying the blame at the state level, rather than taking an authentic look at the rules/legislation that protect the union's power. The only sacrifice the APT union is making, is to sacrifice 100+ teacher jobs. Hardly an inspiring position to take that would make an intelligent voter want to support a parcel tax.

And has anyone questioned what influence the APT endorsement of Board Member Chris Grant's candidacy is having on his decisions? I see no public school board pressure on the unions. Why not?

And then to have board member Jamie Hintzke pull the same tactic to take (waste) time in her comments to lay the blame on the state, and rally support on removing good fiscal constraint practices, contributes to the perception of a tax and spend board member. Again, it doesn't help this voter to want to support the parcel tax.

Gretchen, I agree with you that we would like PUSD to do the best job it can. Unfortunately, the union stands in the way.

Residence newer to Pleasanton and parents with younger children may not understand that Pleasanton property owners have been paying an average of $900 dollars per year to PUSD for nearly 20 years and we will continue to pay it for the next 20 years.

PUSD has disregarded all protection of oversight that was promised to the taxpayer when we voted for those bonds. The oversight committee has only met a few times in 15 years and not at all in five years. New promises are not credible.

You are naive to suggest a parcel tax is a small price to pay without considering the districts history.

If some Management and admin positions were reduced and eliminated (not just MORE vacation time).

If the Union were reasonable and made concessions.

If the federal money was considered real money toward the PUSD shortfall.

If the property owners of Pleasanton continue to pay the $900 per year, on average, special tax they already pay to PUSD.

If we all continue to pay the many taxes that contribute to the districts funding............. we would not need a parcel tax and we would not need to waste money on a special election that is sure to fail : )

Posted by Mom2
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Mar 1, 2009 at 1:00 pm

PUSD teachers and staff are not overpaid. They pay their own vision, dental, and health benefits. If those benefits were on the salary schedule, this district would be facing even a bigger deficient because paying health benefits has already run some districts into the ground. Since health costs have risen between 8% to 12%, in a sense employees are losing ground financially each year. Some of you have a obsession with the wages of district employees to the point of being somewhat bizarre. Years ago during the dot-com and recently during the real estate boom no one was envying or complaining about school district employees' salaries. In regards to dipping into the reserves for salaries/raises last year, that's untrue and ridiculous. The board decided to "save" programs such as coaches stipends, reading specialists, AVID, counseling, intervention at all levels, and the Barton Reading Program last year. Many of you have just jumped on this bandwagon this year, and truly don't know the history of the loss of funding California districts have endured from Sacramento. Most of the tri-valley districts have already passed parcel taxes, but PUSD has waited until now because the situation is truly bad. The state forced districts to cut money last year too. In fact, Sacramento has implemented mid-year cuts after the school district has adopted a balanced budget for the past two years. I am thrilled to have my child attend PUSD schools, knowing that this district has been very responsible with their funds. The five board members are elected and speak for the community, so the administrators aren't able to do anything without board approval. If you don't speak directly to board members then you aren't exercising your right as a citizen of Pleasanton.
I will vote for the parcel and continue to seek reform at the state level. Today, in the paper, legislatures have been caught spending our money for travel expenses unrelated to their job responsibilities (a Hannah Montana concert). Vent your frustration at what Sacramento is doing to our school district and town. It's clear they are causing anger, resentment, name calling, and division among our citizens.

Posted by Stacey
a resident of Amberwood/Wood Meadows
on Mar 1, 2009 at 1:06 pm

Think about this a moment. If the US finally moves to a single-payer system for health care insurance, health care costs would decrease and no one would have to use the benefits excuse for why to support a parcel tax.

Posted by Liz
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Mar 1, 2009 at 1:26 pm

The superintendents perks alone could more than fund the Barton reading program. Why have these not been offered up? Casey gets a $12,000 a year car allowance. Our City manager and legislators get between $300-350, yes this is out of scale.
Why is it okay to tell me to give up coffee but not bring his compensations in line?

Again...
Pleasanton property owners have been paying an average of $900 dollars per year to PUSD for nearly 20 years and we will continue to pay it for the next 20 years for school bonds.
You are wrong to say "PUSD has waited until now", we are paying more than other communities.

San Ramon out performs PUSD with $600 less per student after the San Ramon Parcel Tax. PUSD has more money than the other districts even with their parcel taxes!!

I have twenty years and four kids in this district.
I value teachers and care about the kids but will not vote yes to more taxes until all questions are satisfied.

Posted by think twice
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Mar 1, 2009 at 3:16 pm

I'm already paying nearly $1000 per year on a parcel tax for PUSD. They'll need to find the money elsewhere.

Consider cutting some of this fat before asking for more taxes!

Superintendent Dr. John Casey is employed under a contract which ends June 30, 2010. His annual salary is $227,002, with a 12-month work calendar and 24 days of vacation. Medical and other health insurance may be purchased at his sole expense, and the District contributes $5,000 annually for life insurance premiums. At the completion of each year of the contract where he has worked at least 85% of the days, he receives a payment of $10,000 into a tax-sheltered annuity. He receives $1,000 per month as a transportation allowance and membership in professional organizations as appropriate and necessary. When Dr. Casey moved to Pleasanton, he received a $200,000 loan to help purchase a home in the community. This loan is interest free and must be repaid within 18 months of the termination of his employment. There is no provision or expectation that the loan would be "forgiven." The current balance of this loan is $190,000.

Posted by Get educated!
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Mar 1, 2009 at 10:41 pm

To Mom2-
You have said it so well and clearly. I only hope that those who are so full of distrust can hear what you are saying.

We have to remember that this is an issue of the state of California cutting billions of dollars in education. This is an issue of how the district now has to run our schools with millions of dollars cut from the STATE budget.

To those who are frustrated about being asked to pay $200 a year to save only a fraction of school programs,

No matter what happens with the parcel tax, millions of dollars will still need to be cut.

You probably will never understand the impact these cuts will have by being closed minded to what is really going on in the schools, how their funding works, and how employees are paid.

I urge you to take your passion to the state level and let them know how you feel about being asked to support your local school systems because of the STATE budget problems.

I urge you to take your passion about good education to the classroom, become a volunteer or talk to those directly involved in the schools today so you can really understand the issues students and schools are facing.

Stacey says: "Think about this a moment. If the US finally moves to a single-payer system for health care insurance, health care costs would decrease and no one would have to use the benefits excuse for why to support a parcel tax."

Do you really believe this? Please tell me that was just wishful thinking. If you do believe what you wrote, you are in for a big surprise! Health care costs would NOT (I repeat) would NOT go down w/ single payer system. However what would go down is the QUALITY of care.

I cite 35yrs of experience as a Health Professional to back up my opinion. You really should not believe everything you hear.

Do some homework. After the shock wears off....you will be very very afraid if/when that happens.

Posted by Liz
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Mar 1, 2009 at 11:03 pm

"Get educated!, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood",
Here is your chance to really get educated. These are fact. This is the problem in PUSD. We would be foolish to keep giving them more money.

Compare San Ramon to PUSD. PUSD has substantially more dollars but San Ramon outperforms PUSD. There is an obvious way to reduce the PUSD budget by $2,430,456 per year.

PUSD has $698 more per student in ADA dollars than San Ramon.
PUSD has $1,850 more per student in total Revenue than San Ramon.
Spends $776 more per student on teachers salary.
Spends $168 more per student on administration.
PUSD spends $2,430,456 more per year for administration and is still out performed by San Ramon!!!!!!

Posted by Get educated!
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Mar 1, 2009 at 11:37 pm

Yes and San Ramon parents pay a $600 PER child "learning fund" every year at registration, and the fact that another parcel tax is on the ballot this spring for them.

Still wondering what your comparison has to do with our need for a parcel tax due to cuts in education from Sacraments. Even with the tax, millions will be cut. Do your homework in the schools, not just on the web.

Posted by Liz
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Mar 2, 2009 at 12:22 am

San Ramon's parents would need to pay $1,850 to be even with PUSD's funding. San Ramon failed to pass a $166 parcel tax, and is now hoping for $144.

Proponents of the parcel tax say other communities have one so PUSD needs one. You can see that even with other communities parcel taxes we still have more money.
We can see that there is significant room to cut in the administrative budget...and yet they went after CRS and reading specialists.
The cuts from the State are real but this shows where the fat in the budget is, cuts can be made without a parcel tax.

Posted by Sean
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Mar 2, 2009 at 1:25 am

"Get educated!", please take your own advice and go get educated. You're clearly choosing to ignore the compelling numbers Liz had worked diligently to gather. (Thank you, Liz!)

Funds have been mismanaged by the PUSD's administrators and money that should be going into the classrooms are used to line the pockets of the administrators and teachers. Even with the extra funding per student, PUSD is still behind San Ramon in students' performance. That says a lot!

Posted by Sean
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Mar 2, 2009 at 1:34 am

The California Constitution guarantees each student the right to a free public education. Education Code section 56000et seq. mandates the provision of free appropriate public education, including special education facilities and classes, to persons with exceptional needs.

I don't see how San Ramon can require parents to pay a $600 learning fund at registration without being sued.

Posted by Stacey
a resident of Amberwood/Wood Meadows
on Mar 2, 2009 at 9:52 am

Beth,

Unfortunately the evidence is against you. Yes, I did read up on this, Taiwan being a case study on this. Look, one has to ask why no other country in the world is scrambling to set up a health care system like we have in the US. That's because it's inhumane.

When you write about quality of care going down, think about that for a minute. The US is a spending outlier in health care because those of us who are insured tend to spend money that is not ours on the very best treatment that money can buy, regardless of whether or not it is truly necessary. If you want to label excessive and over-the-top treatments as "quality", feel free.

Posted by Vicki
a resident of Pleasanton Heights
on Mar 4, 2009 at 9:22 pm

I am soooo sick of hearing all the negativity about the parcel tax!! Alright, don't pass the parcel tax and watch and see what happens.
PSUD's elementary class sizes will go to 32. The district will not move to the more moderate increase of 25 as there is no finicial incentive from the state. The state pays incentives to districts that are willing to institute CSR (for PSUD that's $4 million dollars) and the district supplements the rest...which amounts to about 1 million dollars.
Reading Specialists won't exist and for the kids who need extra attention and help, teachers will be spent trying to help them.
Entering high school English and Math students will be in classes of 30 - 33 students. Those kids who are trying to write their first thesis paper with imbedded quotes, or recall Geometry from 2 years ago won't have the same kind of attention as my sophomore at Foothill did. This list goes on and on.
Not passing the parcel tax would be a huge cost to our kids. Mine is almost graduated and out of the district, but I WILL SUPPORT THE PARCEL TAX.
Friends in San Ramon always complain about the fact that they have to pay 500.00 per student as a "donation" at walk through registration. PSUD has never done that!
If Pleasantonians can't sacrifice $1.00 a day or less to keep the excellent education PSUD has provided, I feel sorry. My kids are almost out of the system and one their way to college, but I will continue to support the district for the kids that are coming up. I can afford a $1.00 a day (or less) to maintain the excellence we have. PSUD wasn't mismanaged and therefore didn't get us into this mess. Vote yes on a parcel tax and keep our good schools, scores, and property value!